Oil strainer



May 7, 1946. R. c. FEAGIN OIL STRAINER Filed April 1'9, 1944 nnentor (Ittorneg Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENTgOFFICE 2,;x9a994 on. STRAINER Robert C. Feng-in, Houston, Tex.

Application April 19, 1944, serial Np. 532,009

(ci. 21o-16v) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to oil strainers, and more particularly to strainers for oil flowing through a line of piping under gravitational force or under pressure applied by pumping or equivalent mechanism. in such fields, for example, as the trucking industry, airplane engines, Diesel engines, and in maritime use and the like.

Heretofore, as far as applicant is aware, all oil strainer equipment for use in the connections suggested, for the extraction of sediment from the oil without arresting the flow thereof, have depended on flushing operations or have utilized a piping equipped with a pair of spaced valves or the like for alternate manipulation; one being opened to permit sediment strained from the oil to be collected in the space between the valves and then closed prior to the opening of the other valve to establish communication between said space and a sump or the like to receive the sediment, after which the last-named valve is reclosed and th'e first-named valve reopened. Such arrangements are not dependable as it frequently happens that the sediment packs or solidies to a degree necessitating a temporary shut-down. Even if the oil under pressure is employed to evacuate relatively unpacked sediment, the action is attended by a considerable waste of strained oil.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a detachable sediment bowl in conjunction with a combination scraper and plunger valve for closing communication between the strainer chamber of the appliance and the bowl to permit the latter to be opened or entirely detached without shutting off the ow or oil or liqiid through the strainer and pipe line for facilitating the removal of the sediment whether in loose or compacted condition in the bowl.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plunger valve equipped with a magnet for disposition in the path of the oil entering the strainer chamber, for intercepting and catching flakes or other small particles of metal detached by wear or otherwise from the mechanism through which the oil passes for lubrication purposes lpriorto its delivery to the intake port of the strainer, which magnet may be of thepermanent or electro-magnet type.

Another object is to provide a sediment bowl with a drain-olf valve as a safety device against waste of oil by indicating tofvisual inspection by ow of oil from the bowl, that the plunger valve is properly seated, the drain-off valve also serv` ing as a means for drawing off water accumulatment bowl open at the top and provided with a controlled hand-hole at its lower end, through which loose sediment may be withdrawn, the bowl to be removed in the event sediment becomes so compacted that it must be dug loose and dumped or scraped through the top opening.

-A still further object is to provide means for eiecting an equalization of pressure between the strainer chamber through which the oil or liquid is flowing and the air-tight'l bowl, so that one face of the valve will not be subjected to liquid pressure and the other face to a vacuous condition -which would make it difficult to open the valve.

With the objects named in view, the invention consists in certain new and useful features of construction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an oil strainer embodying the invention, the screen cylinder element being outlined only in the interest of clearness of illustration.

Figure 2 is a section on the broken line Il-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the plunger on the broken line III-III valve and scraper elements of the appliance.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the screen cylinder.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, I indicates a body having a cylindrical bore or chamber 2, the body also being provided at an intermediate point in its length and at diametrically opposite sides, with an intake port or opening 3, and a discharge port or opening 4. The upper end of the body is formed with a flange 5, having an, opening 6 in eccentric relationto and of less diameter than the bore or chamber 2, and the axial center of opening 6 intersects that of the alined intake and discharge ports.

A cap 1, tits upon and is secured with a1iquidtight relation to flange 5, by bolts 8` or otherwise, and is provided with a central opening 9. The body I is provided at its lower end with a flange I0, which projects externally and internally of the body, and the inwardly-projecting portion has a step-shaped opening-II `in alinement with and of substantially the same size as the opening 6, the opening I I being of a form to provide a downwardly-tapering valve seat. The open end of the body I is closed by a flange I2 which is clamped air-tight by bolts I3, said flange being formed integrally with a sediment bowl I4 communicating with the interior of the casing I through an opening I3 registering with th'e valve seat II.

A cylindrical screen I8 is disposed within the screen chamber, and divides same into receiving and discharge chambers, said screen fitting snugly at its opposite ends in the openings 8 and II, and consequently stands eccentrically within the chamber 2. It stands closer to the intake port 3 than to the discharge port 4, and said screen at an intermediate point has an opening I1 registering with a tubular coupling I8 projecting into the intake port of the body. The coupling has an exterior flange I9 secured in any suitable manner to a flange 20 formed on an oil-supply pipe 2| leading from any suitable source, not shown. A tubular coupling 22 nts tightly within discharge port 4, and has an external flange 23 secured to the flange 24 of a discharge pipe 25 for oil clarified by passage through the cylindrical screen.

To stiften and strengthen the screen cylinder,

Vit is fitted within a skeleton cage 26 having a ringshaped portion 21 disposed marginally of the yscreen opening I1, and in order that the inlet coupling I8 shall fit close to or against the marginal portion of said opening, or the ring-shaped part of the cage, as the case may be, to avoid appreciable leakage from coupling I8 into the screen chamber exterior to the screen cylinder, the inner end of said coupling is machined to a curve of about the same radius as the cylinder or ring-portion of the cage, as the case may be, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2.

For dislodging sediment entering the cylinder with the oil to be clarified, and adhering to the inner side of the wall of the cylinder, a reciprocatory plunger valve 28 is located within the cylinder and upon a stem 28 extending up through the opening of the cap 1 and provided with a handle 30. The valve 28 is of disk type of slightly less diameter than the cylinder, andconsists of two circular plates 3I and 32, the latter being marginally tapered for proper seating upon the tapered valve seat of opening II. scraper 33 of flexible and/or elastic material, resistant to oil, fits between the plates 3| and 32 and is of greater diameter and frictionally engages the cylinder wall, so that when the valve is forced downward, sediment adhering to theA cylinder wall is dislodged therefrom by the scraper and falls or is forced by the plunger valve into the bowl.

For collecting metal flakes or other fine particles of metal carried with the oil into the screen cylinder, whether free or adhering to sediment adhering to the cylinder, the plunger valve is equipped with a depending magnet 34, held in place by a bolt 35 screwed into the lower end of the stem 28. The magnet disclosed is of the permanent type and of size to extend through the valve seat opening II and well within the bowl when the plunger valve is upon its seat. It is therefore adapted to collect, within the bowl, small particles of metal which it failed to catch within the cylinder, it being apparent that about the time the valve is seated the oil in the bowl is in a more or less turbulent condition and circulatinglight foreign particles are within range of the lines of force emanating from the magnet.

Under normal conditions the combination scraper valve 23-32 is at its upper limit of travel. Assuming it is desired to clean the screen I8, the operator presses downwardly on the handle 38 A circular which forces the valve downwardly and mechanically dislodges sediment from the inner face of the screen and forces it into the sediment bowl I4. In the downward travel of the scraper valve it will be evident that oil or liquid will be displaced from in front of the valve 28-32 through the screen, and will return `through the screen above the valve.

As the sediment bowl I4 is normally air-tight, it will be evident that when the valve 23-32 is travelling through the imperforate ring 26 at the lower end of the screen cage, or if the screen is clogged so tightly that the valve cannot displace oil therethrough, means must be provided to re- I lieve the pressure which would be built up in the sediment bowl, either by opening same to the atmosphere which is objectionable as it results in the waste of oil or liquid, or by providing a by-pass 31 connecting the sediment bowl below the valve seat II with the chamber I above said valve seat, said by-pass being controlled by a manually operable valve 31a. In the cleaning or valve-closing operations, the by-pass 31 need be opened only in the event back-pressure against travel of the valve 28-32 develops from the causes above indicated. The bowl I4 may also be provided with a valve 36 which may be opened when it is desired to ascertain the level of sediment in the bowl, or to drain entrapped water.

After the valve 28-32 is fully seated on its seat to seal the discharge opening, the valve 31a also being closed, if it was necessary to open the same, the sediment bowl I4 may be cleaned, either through opening 38 after removal ofits closure cap 38, or by complete detachment of the sediment bowl. If the valve 23-32 leaks, its seat II may be wiped by oscillation of the valve thereon.

After cleaning, the bowl I4 is replaced in airtight relation to the casing I, and the valve 31a is opened in order to equalize pressure above and below the valve 28-32, since it will be apparent that otherwise opening of the latter valve will be resisted by the tendency to form a vacuous condition below the valve, plus a pressure condition above the valve created by the oil or liquid pressure flowing through casing I and the pipe line 2I-25.

With the construction illustrated and described, it will be evident that the combination scraper valve 28-32, together with the valve 31a and the air-tight sediment bowl I4, provide a system which can be cleaned without shutting off the flow or oil or liquid, without the loss of fluid, and Without elaborate auxiliary apparatus of any kind.

If the bowl has a fairly large opening at or near the bottom as at 38, it would be possible with sediment in loose condition in the bowl, to remove the cover 38 of the hand-hole opening and utilize air or water under pressure to force the sediment out, or it could be easily scraped out through the hand-hole. If in substantial volume and closely compacted, it is necessary that the bowl be removed from the strainer, to properly and easily effect the removal of the sediment.

From the above description and drawing, it will be apparent that I have produced an oil strainer embodying the features of advantage mentioned as objectives in the introductory part oi' the specification and while the preferred construction is as described and illustrated, I reserve the right to vmake such changes or modifications as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. l

What I claim is:

l. In a fluid strainer, a casing. a screen dividing said casing into fluid receiving and discharge chambers, a fluid inlet pipe connected with the receiving chamber, a uid outlet pipe connected to the discharge chamber, said casing also having a sediment discharge-opening communicating with the receiving chamber, a reciprocatory sediment scraper valve in the receiving chamber in wiping engagement with the receiving chamberside of said screen and adapted to discharge sediment through the discharge opening, and to thereafter seal said opening, an air-tight sediment bowl connected to the casing for receiving sediment discharged through the sediment discharge-opening, and a valve controlled by-pass connecting the casing and sediment bowl independently of the sediment discharge-opening to equalize pressure on opposite sides of the scraper valve when said valve is sealing the dischargeopening. v

2. In a uid strainer, a casing, a cylindrical screen dividing said casing into a iiuid receiving chamber within the screen and a fluid discharge chamber without the screen, a uid inlet pipe v charge-opening to equalize pressure on opposite sides of the scraper valve when said valve is sealing the discharge-opening. i

ROBERT C. FEAGIN. 

